What We Do in the Shadows [M]

Meet Viago, Vladislav, Deacon, and Petyr, four vampires living together in a flat in New Zealand. When they’re not draining victims of their blood, they’re worrying about the everyday things in life like who’s turn it is to do the dishes, hitting the clubs looking for a good time, and picking street fights with rival gangs…of werewolves. Their afterlives are already toey living in secret amongst humans, but things get a little tenser when a newly converted vampire named Nick joins their group. Relishing in his newfound abilities and broadcasting them aloud, Nick soon gets the guys into trouble when his boasting attracts a vampire hunter. 

From the guys that brought us Boy and Eagle vs. Shark, possibly the most awkward romantic comedy ever, comes this clever little horror mockumentary that is really very funny in what it achieves. Both familiarising and defamiliarising the vampire subgenre, What We Do in the Shadows is a lively and clever little film that tickles in a variety of ways. 

Meet Viago, Vladislav, Deacon, and Petyr, four vampires living together in a flat in New Zealand. When they’re not draining victims of their blood, they’re worrying about the everyday things in life like who’s turn it is to do the dishes, hitting the clubs looking for a good time, and picking street fights with rival gangs…of werewolves. Their afterlives are already toey living in secret amongst humans, but things get a little tenser when a newly converted vampire named Nick joins their group. Relishing in his newfound abilities and broadcasting them aloud, Nick soon gets the guys into trouble when his boasting attracts a vampire hunter. 

The Brits, the Aussies, and the Kiwis have it down when it comes to the mockumentary. The genre is one that is beloved below the equator and fusing it with the horror genre was a really good move. What I found most clever about the whole thing was the fact that it fused two genres together incredibly well, more so when you consider that the horror genre is one of the most unreal. Fusing a structured and ‘unreal’ genre with the mockumentary format was a stroke of genius and it, on some level, really redefines the cinema, offsetting the borders between genres and the styles of filming. 

I saw this movie as a refreshing comment on the times we live in. Since Twilight, there is a high fascination with the supernatural and in particular vampires and werewolves, so this movie is an open comment on that. Simultaneously, because it’s the mockumentary format, there is this great level of narcissism, almost ‘selfie-ism’; a further comment on the world we live in Gandalf! 

The performances are all great because they are so genuine and ‘real’ despite the fact that they’re supernatural beings. The werewolves are particular favourites of mine in that, unlike the tribal breeds in Twilight, these posses are all about trying to keep the peace and maintain balance on the streets. One of their mantras is ‘werewolves not swearwolves’ and during the full moon it’s really funny to watch them go through the checklist of precautions: tracksuit pants for transformation comfort, chaining each other up to strong trees. It’s really funny. 

Starring Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi Jonathan Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stuart Rutherford, Ben Fransham, Jackie van Beek, and Chelsie Preston Crayford, What We Do in the Shadows is a really refreshing and clever little movie filled with action, gore, bloodshed, gross-out scenes, tension, and comedy. I found it really clever, original, and refreshing and if this review has at all piqued your interest, I would recommend you go see it.